Pneumatic toy



March 17, 1931. c. GREER ETAL PNEUMATIC TOY Filed June 1'7 1930 2Sheets-Sheet l In venlor;

A llorney C27! Vl/Lee c. GREER ET AL ,796,599

PNEUMATIC TOY Filed Jgne 17 30 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 17, 1931.

Inventor;

Allorney m %1 .Zee 6.6

6214 M/Lee 3y At;

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Patented Mar. 17,. 1931 Ul tl l'ED STATES PATENT @l l' 'lCE LEE 0. GREEKAND CARL W. LEE, F JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE PNEUMATIC TOY Applicationfiled June 17,

This invention relates to a miniature pneumatic power plant susceptibleof being incorporated in various species of toys such as uprightengines, stationary engines, portable trucks, tractors, fire engines andthe like.

More specifically stated, the inventive conception embodiedin thisapplication is especially designed and arranged for embodiment in a toylocomotive, and the fundamental principle involves a compressed airContainer, which, in this form of the invention, constitutes the boilerand which has appropriate valved and operating connecti'on with thepropulsion wheels for producing a miniature self-propelled pneumatictoy.

p In accordance with the fundamental pri1r ciple herein illustrated anddescribed, we

have developed a practical arrangement of mechanically associateddetails forming a simple and economical structure which con1- prehendsthe invention and fulfills the requisite requirements of a toy of thisclass in an eflicient and feasible manner.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals. are employed todesignate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a pneumatic locomotive developedin accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof showing the duplication of powertransmission 6 and valve means on opposite sides of the boiler.

Figure 3. is a longitudinal sectional view through the cylinder andpiston construction.

In Figure 1, the frame is of appropriate construction and provided withfront idler wheels 5 and rear propulsion wheels 6, these being locatedin opposed pairs on opposite sides of the structure. Supported on theframe is the imitation boiler 7 which here serves as the compressed aircontaining tank.

This is ornamented by the presence of a headlight 8, smokestack 9 andother such appurtenances as add to realistic appearance. At the rear isa suitable cab generally 0 represented by the-numeral 10. Then too,

1930. Serial No. 461,753.

at the front is a fender 11. On top of the tank is an elbow 12 havingsuitable internal valve mechanism (not shown) concealed by the removablevalve cap 18. Incidently the valve mechanism is similar to an ordinarypneumatic tire valve and the threaded end of the elbow is constructed toaccommodate a conventional tire pump (not shown).

This suffices to build up sufiicient pressure for operating thestructure for a limited time. At 1 1 is an appropriate regulating andcontrol valve, manipulated by hand and serving to control the passage ofair through the opposed branch pipe 15.

Inasmuch as the valve and operating structure is duplicated on oppositesides, the same numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts.Referring to Figure 3 for example, it will be seen that the numeral 16represents a cylinder to accommodate the piston head 17.. This cylinderis of a length approximately twice that of the stroke of the piston.

'At the right hand end is a removable plug 18 which constitutes theguide and support for the piston rod 19.. This arrangement permits thepiston to be removed and access to be had to the interior of thecylinder. At the point 20 is a vent opening which has the additionalfunction of a lubricant hole for placing lubrication in the cylinder forfacilitating reciprocation oi the piston head. The piston head isappropriately packed.

At the left hand end is a fitting embodying a disc 21 and an appropriateextended casting 22. This is formed with an air inlet bore 01' passageat 23 comnmnicating with the valved passage E l and leading into theintake port 25 communicating with the cylinder. The numeral 26 merelydesignates a removable regulating plug for controlling the velocity ofair.

The intermediate portion of this casting 22 is fashioned to accommodatethe oscillatory plug valve 27 whose passage is constructed to regulatethe intake and exhaust of air. Incidently the numeral 28 designates theexhaust port leading to the atmosphere.

y The horizontal branch of the pipe 15 is connected ith the inlet 23. Asseen in ure 1, the plug valve is provided on one end with a crank arm 29with which a valve actuating rod 30 is connected; This rod extendsrearwardly and is connected with a similar rocker arm 51 carried by theeccentric or crank pin 32 on the wheel 6. incidently this arm 31 isformed integral with the pin and occupies a fix d relation. In fact, theterminal end thereof is disposed slightly off center with respect to theaxis of rotation of the Wheel 6.

The numeral 33 designates the push-rod which has one end pivotallyconnected-with the crank pin 32 and the opposite end p1votally connectedwith the clevis on the piston rod 19. This arrangement of mechanismserves to automatically control the air regulating valve 27 under theturning action of the wheel 6. The wheel 6 is turned through the mediumof pushrod and crank pin and the operating connection thereof with thereciprocatory piston 17 1n the cylinder 16 as is obvious.

' It is to be stated that the duplicate mechanism on the opposite sideof the boiler construction is identical with that already describedexcept that it is in reverse order so that the mechanism on oppositesides operates simultaneously but in an alternate manner to produce thedesired continuity of movement of the complete toy. In other words, thevalves 27 on the opposite sides are alternately operated.

In practice, the valve cap 13 is removed and an ordinary tire pump isattached thereto and the tank 7 is pumped with air under pressure. Whendesired, the valve 14: is open, permitting the air to flow through thepipe 15 into the valve mechanism. By placing the toy on the floor or asimilar surfaceand giving it a start, the valve mechanism is set intooperation and the air then builds up suflicient pressure in the cylinder16 for continuously and alternately operating the respective pistons foractuating the wheels 6. In this manner the toy is propelled over thesurface until the energy of the air in the tank 7 has been substantiallyand completely expended.

as before stated, the same fundamental principle of construction andoperation may be applied to toys other than locomotives. The valvearrangement in the structure is novel and the complete construction isinexpensive, susceptible of rapid assembly and expeditious output, easyto repair and dependable in operation The valve mechanism isparticularly important in that it is automatic and positive in action.The air passages in the core or alug valve are so related and timed tothose of the casting that one intake and one eX- haust stroke isdeveloped for each complete revolution of the drive wheel on each side.

This therefore provides an appropriately timed throttle valvearrangement permitting the toy to run with little vibration and speed ona pressure variation from seventy-five pounds down to one pound pressureon each throttle opening. Another outstanding feature of theconstruction is the relation of the throw of the two main crank pins onthe fly wheels on either side of the engine, there being one hundred andeighty degrees on the crank pin or stated otherwise, the two cylindersoperate exactly one-half turn apart on the drive wheel. 7

The front wheels may, if desired, be connected operatively with the reartraction or drive wheels, in any suitable manner, as on other toylocomotives. The locomotive can be propelledby steam with the use ofmetal pistons instead of leather.

An outstanding feature of this toy however is that it is much safer thana steam engine in respect to fire and explosion, and

more simple and positive in operation, and

realistic in its appearance and thus a novel contribution to the priorart.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the inventionafter considering the description in connection with the drawings.Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice ifdesired.

We claim:

1. In a toy of the class described, an air receiving and storage tank,supporting wheels therefor, wheels on opposite sides of said tank andbeing provided with crank pins, cylinders mounted on opposite sides ofthe tank, pistons slidable in said-cylinders, push rod connectionsbetween the pistons and crank pins, piping leading from said tank onopposite sides, a main control valve located in said piping, valvedconnections between the respective pipe ends and companion cylinders onopposite sides of said tank, an actuating rod connection be tween saidcrank pins and the last named valves, together with a valved airinjector on top of the tank adapted to accommodate a conventional tirepump whereby to permit air to be pumped into said tank for compressionand subsequent utilization.

2. In a structure of the class described, a cylinder, a vent beingformed at one end of said cylinder, a removable plug in said one endhaving a central guide opening, a piston head mounted for reciprocationin said cylinder, a rod connected with said piston head and slidablethrough the opening in said plug, a fitting in the opposite end tures.

LEE C. GREEK. CARL W. LEE.

